Reducing stress one exhale at a time …exploring Southern California and beyond

A Bram Stoker Doodle-inspired day. You can get inspiration from almost anything.

We all have little idiosyncrasies, don’t we? I’ll tell you one of mine in just a minute.

The weather took a nice shift towards fall today. I even used my new umbrella. Lovely.

I also found time to relax with a book in the middle of the day. I don’t often do that. Most of my reading is in the evening, but today I was compelled to read the final chapter in an excellent mystery.

Earlier this summer I discovered a series, published by author Milly Reynolds, a British crime and general fiction author. Milly writes The Mike Malone Mysteries and I have become an avid follower and reader. A fan, really.

Today I finished the sixth in the series of Kindle books, “IOU,” featuring the crime solving Detective Inspector Mike Malone and his young assistant Detective Sergeant Alan Shepherd. In this series, Detective Inspector Malone has a difficult past necessitating a move to the Lincolnshire countryside where his story continues to unfold cleverly and intricately interwoven within the crime he is called upon to solve. Now that I’m caught up with the Mike Malone mysteries, I’m eager to move on to meet another of Milly Reynolds’ crime sleuths, Detective Inspector Jack Sallt. But that introduction will have to wait just a bit.

I’ll share my little idiosyncrasy now. It’s a slight compulsion I’ve given in to for as long as I remember. When I get to the last chapter in a book I’m reading, I need want to choose what I will read next and have it sitting nearby and ready for me to crack the cover. I never wait until I have finished a book to make that decision. So as I closed out the last chapter of “IOU” I had many book options from which to choose my next good read, but I had my title already at my side.

I made that decision first thing in the morning.

Do you pay attention to Doodles? Doodles are the artful changes made to the Google logo in celebration of the lives of artists and scientists, noting holidays, or highlighting anniversaries and current events. The Doodle is part of the Google search page. Checking the Doodles is one of the first things I do when I turn on my computer.

Today’s Doodle was particularly elaborate, celebrating Bram Stoker’s 165th birthday. So what do you think I plan to read next? Dracula? No, I’ve read that before, and if you haven’t, in my opinion you’ve missed the best vampire story yet written.

Irish novelist and short story writer Abraham Stoker was born November 8, 1847 and made a living as a stage manager and personal assistant to an actor. Dracula was originally called The Un-Dead and was written in 1897.

All Bram Stokers’ works are now available free of charge throughProject Gutenberg. If you’re not familiar with Project Gutenberg you’ll have fun browsing the titles of all the books that are no longer held to copyright protection. I downloaded The Complete Works of Bram Stoker about a year ago, and today’s Google Doodle reminded me that it was already on my Kindle. So next I’m on to reading Bram Stoker’s The Lair of the White Worm. I doubt it holds the same mystique as Dracula, but the plot involves a snake-like creature with green glowing eyes feeding on whatever is thrown into a pit…you get the idea. I’ll have to see what I think of a horror story published in 1911. I’m definitely curious.

It’s interesting to follow the stories connected to clever logo artwork! To see an entire list of doodles click here.I love the Olympic Doodle. And it was great they published a beautiful Doodle specifically for my birthday. Well, technically it was the first day of spring, but I took personal notice. Google Doodles are international so there’s something for everyone. And if you happen to have any questions about any of the people, places or events connected to the Doodle, the good thing is you can learn all you need to know–just Google it!

45 thoughts on “A Bram Stoker Doodle-inspired day. You can get inspiration from almost anything.”

I love the doodles! I think they are so clever. I would have enjoyed putting a few of them up for everyone to see, but I am sure those are highly monitored for copyright infringement!🙂 The Bram Stoker artwork certainly caught my eye early yesterday.🙂

I just love those Doodles…and it has occurred to me that if we just had a little advanced notice of what they were planning to put out there we could write the greatest posts to compliment them! I wouldn’t be successful creating the artwork, but I’d love to be one of their researchers figuring out who to honor!🙂

I’m never organised enough to know the next book. And I’m not patient- sometimes I have several books on the go at once. if brai is working I can read any of them. If it’s not, they’ll gather dust for a while and then I may struggle to get back into the plot🙂
Thanks for the list of the google doodles!

I do read several things at once, too, Fiona, so it can take me quite a while to get through the pile. Reading is for personal pleasure so it isn’t a race, but I am certain it is frustrating when you just don’t feel like you have the best attention. Aren’t the doodles clever? I assume everyone else notices them, too, but it depends what device you’re using for your searches. I never see them from my phone or iPad. I hope you are doing well this weekend, and can stay warm!🙂

It’s so great that you’re finding the time to read. My sister has just arrived for a few weeks from LA. She was telling me yesterday how hot it’s been and how there’s been no sign of the seasons changing. I’ll tell her tomorrow that a change has come! xx

I love Google doodles too, Debra, but won’t be reading any of Bram Stoker’s works, I’m afraid. I’m so not a horror story fan nowadays. However I AM a big fan of mystery novels and haven’t come across Milly Reynolds before, so that’s another name for the library list.🙂 Like speccy, I’m not organised enough to make an advance choice of the next book. When I’ve finished a book I just look at the pile and decide what I fancy reading now.

Oh, I have those piles, too, I’m afraid. I do have a Kindle, but I certainly don’t do all my reading from a device. I turned to a Kindle when the Los Angeles library started making books available wirelessly. I wasn’t sure that Millie Reynolds only published to a hand-held device, but that’s how I found her. She was recommended on another blog months ago. Kindle apps are available on more and more devices, like the computer itself, so keep her in mind. I know that to a librarian it probably seems like a poor substitute to read on a screen, and until I did I really believed I wouldn’t like it, but with all the traveling you do you might find you enjoy having at least a few titles always at-hand. I’m sure not everyone would agree with me!🙂 I’m sorry I dangled a series in front of you that you can’t access!😦

Oh Karen, we’ll have to see what I think! I don’t ordinarily like any horror stories, either, but this one is so ancient, I don’t think it promises to be any more than a little spooky. The reason I enjoyed Dracula when I read it was the wonderful language! “Horror” at the turn of the century certainly wasn’t what it is today. It left the details to the imagination. I compare it to how I like Alfred Hitchcock and The Twilight Zone, but if the same stories were told today they’d be graphic and over-the-top violent. So I really think I’m going to read a bit more Stoker for the exposure to more of his work. I’ll have to see if it even holds up! And in the meantime, there might be another Doodle giving me more suggestions!🙂

I LOVE the Google Doodles, especially the interactive ones! They’re usually so clever. I’m so upset that I missed the Bram Stoker one you wrote about – we were experiencing yet a second blackout after the nor’easter dumped 7″ of snow on us!

We’re kindred spirits when it comes to reading – I always have to have my next book choice ready and waiting by my bedside too. I always have a stack of books waiting to be read; if they weren’t there, I’d probably go into a panic!😉

I wondered about the snow! Believe me, the rest of the country is watching you with great concern! I can only imagine how disrupted your life must feel right now! Yesterday’s storm had to be dreadful after the last few weeks. You can’t even get started on repairing your house yet, can you? Well, it can go either way in my mind…you either have a lot of time to read because you can’t do another thing, or you are going to be entirely too busy for a long time to read anything just for pleasure! I do hope that before long there is a respite in being on “high alert!”

I’m glad to find someone else with the habit of having the next book all lined up. I know I’ve been that way since a child, but I don’t really know what need that satisfies!🙂 And I do have piles sitting right there. I read more than one book at a time, too, but I don’t have to do that. I switch back and forth between fiction and non-fiction, and just feel different moods make one book more appealing than another at any given time. All of this sounds like I read a lot…I once did. These days, my reading times are short, and at night I fall asleep!🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by. I’ve been so concerned for you! oxo

I am sure that all avid readers have their own little patterns. We may not even know what our habits really tell about us!🙂 I have piles, too. The other day I looked at how big the stack by my bed was getting, and put them away…we’ll see how long before I drag them back out! I do read more than one book at a time, but I have been trying to curb that habit because I have very little time to read on a daily basis and it frustrates me to take months to finish something!🙂 I look at your Goodreads widget on your sidebar to see what you’re reading. I need to update mine! Have a great weekend, Andra. I’m off today with a blogging friend…meeting someone for the first time. Isn’t that fun?🙂

Well, this certainly was an enlightening post. I’d not heard of Project Gutenberg but sure am glad I have now! I’ve just spent a few minutes “looking around” and have already downloaded 2 cookbooks. This despite my pledge last week that I would not buy any more cookbooks. (Technically, I didn’t “buy” anything, so, I’ve not broken my pledge.) I’m certain to be returning there to pick up a few old favorites to load onto my iPad. Thank you very much, Debra, for pointing me in the direction of this site.

I am delighted to share Project Gutenberg, John. I, like you, go through times when I tell myself it’s absolutely ridiculous for me to buy one more book. I own so many and read so little these days. But when they’re free? I’m not harming a soul! I think this source is just a treasure trove, and I’ve found that very few of my friends know of it. I will probably share again, because so many readers aren’t sure they want to go to the e-reader…I was one of them. And it’s not my exclusive reading habit, but the ease and comfort and portability cannot be beat, as you know. I did recently buy the lowest end Kindle, after having more than one experience of reading in bed with my iPad, falling asleep and nearly dropping it to the floor. Oh for the days I could read all night and still function in the morning!🙂

Have you read MR James, Debra? I listen to some strange audiobooks at bedtime and Dracula happens to be one I know virtually by heart. Another beloved collection is the MR James set of ghost stories, just peerless pieces of suspense theatre if you have not already come across them…

I had to look up what to call the Google pictures, Sharyn. I didn’t know they were called doodles, either. Am I remembering Joni Mitchell lyrics with “running behind?” I think you’re pretty with it in all the important areas!🙂 I hope the weather hasn’t turned so cold that it negatively impacts your busking, just as you have started really finding an audience!

i had heard of the Project Gutenberg idea a while ago. Your post has me thinking that I should check it out too! it’s also fun to be inspired by the google doodles! Have a great weekend and fun reading Bram Stoker!🙂

Almost all the classics are available for free now, Karen. We all could use a little more time to read, however! I have downloaded dozens–like the complete works of Dickens…but I don’t know about the reading time–that I can’t seem to come up with in abundance! But it’s lots of fun to access some wonderful books and perhaps slowly move through them. I wish the technology had been available when I was much younger! In the “old days” I could read all night and still function the next day. No longer! *sigh*

Thank you, Carla. It’s always fun to be introduced to others through a favorite blogger, and I think Rommel is just a wonderful person! I enjoy his energy and his curiosity about so many things! I hope you got a chance to enjoy the doodles. I admire whoever the creative minds are that come up with them! I’m so glad you stopped by, and hope you will again!🙂

Dear Debra, I’m an avid mystery novel reader! So thank you for this thumbs on for Milly Reynolds. I’ve never read any of her books and I’ll now look at the library website for the first book in the Mike Malone series. I’m wondering if we like the same authors?

You know many more mystery writers than I do, Dee! I will be eager to learn more about them. The Mike Malone mysteries are currently all Kindle-related. I have been sharing with others who don’t own a Kindle that more and more libraries are providing downloads and I use my Kindle more and more…I never thought I would like it! But it goes with if I’m at the doctor, or getting my hair done…anywhere I’m sitting and waiting!🙂 I know that your books are available as a Kindle purchase, so I wonder if you own a Kindle? I hope you will be able to find Milly’s books…I really love them!🙂

You know Frank, I was a much more avid reader before starting this “blog life!” Boy, does blogging cut into that reading time!🙂 I guess it’s just reading of a different stripe…and one of these days we’ll retire and maybe I’ll gain a little time–although my retired friends are busier than we are!

That is so funny that you know your next book, exactly, and by th elast chapter. I have a heap of books I’ve yet to read, and its pretty random which one I’ll pick up – purely based on how I’m feeling,
And thanks for the Google Doodle link, loving it ! I saw the Lowry one the other day and enjoyed seeing it (I’m from Manchester orginally so love seeing his work)

Aren’t those Google Doodle links clever, Claire? I have learned quite a bit of trivia from following those doodles!🙂 I think my little reading “compulsion” goes back decades…I could probably break it without too much anxiety, but it’s a comfortable habit! I guess it could be worse! ha!

I just learned of the Google Doodles this year.. it’s so cool to discover something creative like that that’s been going on right under my nose! You have a taste for mysteries.. and some pretty scary stuff.. I’ve read a few Vampire books.. but have steered away recently, I get scared when I’m home alone, lol! xx

The Google Doodles keep me amused, too. I don’t read anything really scary at all, Barbara. Anything from Bram Stoker is so Victorian it isn’t even scary by today’s standards…it’s a little dark and brooding, but I can handle that!🙂 I don’t like to be really frightened, though. And no violence. I am alone at night quite a bit, too!

Just starting to catch up after some time away, Debra, and here you are having me searching google doodles, which I’ve actually seen but never put a name to them, a new author to explore, and an old one to revisit.

Like you, I always have a book “in waiting”. When I travel, I always bring at least two, and, though what’s up next in the queue often changes, there is always a book waiting.

I had to chuckle at your cross out of want and need. Katy and Tom have been working with Kezzie as to what she needs and what she wants. Needless to say, she comes up with some interesting answers.

I usually only notice the doodles when there are interactive ones. Also I use Google’s UK version (I’m in Wales) so they don’t display as prominently as they do on their dot com page. Nevertheless, they are certainly fun!🙂

I read Dracula a long time ago…. didn’t realise Stoker’s work is on Gutenberg, shall have to have a look, thanks!

I’m glad to have met you, Val. I have really enjoyed meeting some of Rosie’s friends!🙂 The Gutenberg Project is a great find. There are so many books now copyright free, and I simply wish I had a little more time to explore! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope we’ll meet again! Debra

I’ve always loved the brilliance that goes into creating those Google doodles and they do make me smile when they appear. I read Stoker in High School because we had it as requirement but I o’d on it… Great post.🙂